Foundation Center Research

Discover the latest data available on U.S. foundation philanthropy. Our research staff analyzes and interprets the data we collect on foundations. Learn about national, regional, international, and special topic trends and get the latest statistics on foundation giving.

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Five years ago, in 2012, the Campaign for Black Male Achievement and Foundation Center published the first report in this series, Where Do We Go From Here?, taking an in-depth look at philanthropic support for Black men and boys. Since then, the landscape of the field has evolved in remarkable and groundbreaking ways. As organizations and philanthropic initiatives have shifted from start-up mode to increasingly mature entities with greater human and financial capacity, the opportunity for sustained impact has never been greater.
In the first section of this report, we revisit funding by U.S. foundations in support of Black men and boys, with a focus on giving in 2013 and 2014, the most recent years for which comprehensive data are available.
Current efforts to advance Black male achievement have coalesced along some shared approaches and values. Foundations, governments, and nonprofits in the field are:
- Changing the narrative to lift up Black men and boys as valuable assets to society;
- Investing in local communities to catalyze sustainable impact at the grassroots level;
- Engaging Black men and boys and their communities in authentic ways to ensure programs and initiatives resonate with their lived experiences;
- Impacting policies and systems to address the adverse effects of structural racism on life outcomes for Black men and boys; and
- Recognizing the intersectional nature of this work to learn from the shared struggles of other marginalized populations and achieve broader social justice goals.
These priorities are not mutually exclusive, and the degree to which they occur collectively will help push the work forward.
With a critical mass of organizations currently working to improve life outcomes for Black men and boys and promising signs of forward progress, this report highlights what it will take to build on recent work to catalyze deeper investments, stronger coordination, and, ultimately, greater impact.

"2015 Columbus Survey Findings" presents a snapshot of data on community foundation growth and related operational activity during fiscal year 2015. These findings are based on Columbus Survey responses from 271 community foundations, accounting for over 90 percent of the field's estimated assets. Results from the Survey show a slowdown in asset growth after several years of rapid field expansion, though positive trends in grantmaking, as well as in operating efficiency, are also seen. These findings and more are unpacked and illustrated in this report on the state of the community foundation field.

In 2017 Foundation Center surveyed a sample of U.S.-based foundations about whether they conduct evaluations, what they evaluate, and whether they share what they learn outside of their organization. This infographic lays out key findings from that survey.

What growth trends did the community foundation field experience in FY 2014? Sustained Growth in an Expanding Field is an analysis of 2014 data gathered through the Columbus Survey. The report is a resource to understand the performance of your individual organization in the context of the field. Trends in assets, gifts, and grants are the focal point of the analysis.
For a sixth straight year the community foundation field saw growth in assets, with participants experiencing an average 11% increase over 2013 asset levels. This growth was consistent for foundations of all sizes. Gifts and grants also saw significant increases across the field, at 16% and 20% respectively. Changes in these levels were more dependent on the size of the individual community foundation, with small community foundations seeing the most pronounced increases.

This 2015 research brief analyzes U.S. philanthropic funding trends for Black men and boys and describes recent initiatives and investments supporting Black males. A follow-up to the analysis in Where Do We Go From Here? Philanthropic Support for Black Men and Boys, the brief identifies quantifiable shifts in giving patterns, offers a glimpse at outcomes and impacts of various programs and initiatives, and makes recommendations for future investments.

To document the size and scope of arts education grantmaking by US foundations, Foundation Center and Grantmakers in the Arts collaborated on a 2005 report. The report examined foundation grantmaking for arts education between 1999 and 2003 and represented the most comprehensive analysis of foundation arts education support available. This new report updates the analysis of foundation arts education funding through 2012 and illustrates how support for arts education has evolved during a period of pronounced economic volatility and dramatic political and technological change.

This article presents the results of a survey launched in January 2014 by Foundation Center, in collaboration with the National Network of Consultants to Grantmakers, examining use of consultants by community, corporate, and independent foundations whose annual giving totals at least $100,000.
The survey asked funders to report whether they used consultants in the past two years and, if so, how frequently and for what purposes; they were also asked to report their level of satisfaction with consultants' work. Funders that did not engage consultants in the last two years were asked why not. The survey also sought open-ended responses about working with consultants.
The survey found widespread use of consultants among foundations. While the results of this study tend to emphasize the benefits -- taking advantage of external expertise, allowing staff to stay focused on what they do best, bringing fresh or neutral perspectives to the work -- respondents were also clear that working with consultants has its challenges.

This report shares reflections on an in-depth examination of the story and needs of youth grantmaking (young people making monetary contributions to organizations through established institutions or governing bodies). The report finds that while more than 200 foundations worldwide offer youth grantmaking programs and more than 100 related resources exist, that information is not broadly available. Recommendations include providing wider access to youth philanthropy programs, centralizing resources, and increasing in-person gatherings. This scan was conducted in partnership with Youth Philanthropy Connect, a program of the Frieda C. Fox Family Foundation.

The expanded and interactive version of this report can be found at http://annual.foundationcenter.org.
This annual report describes how the Foundation Center's talent helps the organization fulfill its strategic priorities, and also includes financial statements and lists of board members and staff.

Building on the groundbreaking report Where Do We Go From Here? Philanthropic Support for Black Men and Boys, this companion piece explores the diverse, multidisciplinary, and cross-sector work to advance black male achievement. Based on interviews with 50 philanthropic, nonprofit, government, academic, and business leaders, the report also offers recommendations for what it will take to strengthen the field moving forward.

Key Facts on U.S. Foundations provides you with what you need to know about the scale of the nation's foundation community and the grantmaking priorities of the largest foundations. This report is produced annually by Foundation Center's research team.

Over the last decade, media -- the means by which we communicate -- has evolved significantly. Television, radio, and print newspapers and magazines were once the primary means to obtain news and information. However, the rapid evolution of the Internet and mobile technology has generated new media platforms and expanded the universe of information creators, producers, and distributors. Media information once flowed in one direction, but the expansion of the field has made the movement more diffuse.
With this changing landscape as a backdrop, the Foundation Center, with support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the Wyncote Foundation, and in collaboration with Media Impact Funders, GuideStar, and the Ford Foundation, sought to provide a fuller picture of media-related grantmaking by U.S. foundations. Tracking investments from 2009 to 2011, the data reveals that foundations are increasingly supporting media-related work across multiple areas. At the same time, they are tapping into larger trends, with investments in new media growing at a faster pace than traditional media investments. However, growth in grantmaking across the spectrum of media is inconsistent -- with growth in public broadcasting falling behind growth in investments in other areas.
As demand for media funding continues to rise, these gaps are the most important ones to watch -- especially considering the 2011 Federal Communications Commission report, "The Information Needs of Communities", which called for philanthropy to play a bigger role in supporting media. Since this is a baseline assessment, it will be crucial to see how media grantmaking evolves.

This report was produced through a joint research project of the Monitor Institute and the Foundation Center. The research included an extensive literature review on collaboration in philanthropy, detailed analysis of trends from a recent Foundation Center survey of the largest U.S. foundations, interviews with 37 leading philanthropy professionals and technology experts, and a review of over 170 online tools.
The report is a story about how new tools are changing the way funders collaborate. It includes three primary sections: an introduction to emerging technologies and the changing context for philanthropic collaboration; an overview of collaborative needs and tools; and recommendations for improving the collaborative technology landscape
A "Key Findings" executive summary serves as a companion piece to this full report.

This report was produced through a joint research project of the Monitor Institute and the Foundation Center. The research included an extensive literature review on collaboration in philanthropy, detailed analysis of trends from a recent Foundation Center survey of the largest U.S. foundations, interviews with 37 leading philanthropy professionals and technology experts, and a review of over 170 online tools.
The report is a story about how new tools are changing the way funders collaborate. It includes three primary sections: an introduction to emerging technologies and the changing context for philanthropic collaboration; an overview of collaborative needs and tools; and recommendations for improving the collaborative technology landscape.
This key findings document outlines key themes from this research and serves as a companion piece to the full report.

Key Facts on U.S. Foundations provides you with what you need to know about the scale of the nation's foundation community and the grantmaking priorities of the largest foundations. This report is produced annually by the Foundation Center's research team.

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